Book-style container for film or tape reels and method of making the same



339m c. m. ELLIOTT ET AL BOUK'STYLh CONTAINER FOR FILM OR TAPE HEELS AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed Feb. M5, 1968 Mm m,

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 M. ELLJOTT CARMON RICHARD A. COWLES INVENTORS a 11, farm/44 ATTORNEYS Jam 6, 1970 c;. M. ELLIOTT ET AL 3,487,919

BOOK-STYLE CONTAINER FOR FILM OR TAPE HEELS AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Fllmql Fab. 16, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 p. i l v CARMON M. ELLIOTT U a u RICHARD A. COWLES 26 52 I2 56 INVENTORS ne 32 24 t 30 WM ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,487,919 BOOK-STYLE CONTAINER FOR FILM OR TAPE REELS AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Carmon M. Elliott, Rochester, and Richard A. Cowles, Victor, N.Y., assignors to Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, N.Y., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Feb. 16, 1968, Ser. No. 706,113 Int. Cl. B65d 81/00, 85/04 US. Cl. 206-65 14 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A book-style container comprises a storage portion of moldablc material, having circular recesses therein for receiving and closely surrounding rolls of film or tape, and a cover portion formed from sheet material secured to said storage portion and foldable over said storage portion to form a book configuration. The cover portion may have indices printed each of which is positioned in relation to a particular recess to clearly identify the roll normally to be contained in that recess.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS Reference is made to commonly assigned copending US. design patent application Ser. No. D. 10,611, entitled Container for Film, Tape on the Like, filed in the name of Carmon M. Elliott and Richard A. Cowles on Feb. 16, 1968.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention The present invention relates to a book-style container for storing rolls of web material. The invention has particular utility for storing rolls or reels of processed motion picture film.

Description of the prior art Reels of film cannot easily be stored and maintained in a neat manner. When placed loosely in a drawer or box, the shapes and weights of most reels are such that any slight movement of the drawer or box will shift the reels out of position. If, on the other hand, they are stacked in a tight-fitting compartment, only the outermost reel is readily accessible.

In order to solve these and other problems, it is well known to store film and other articles in book-like containers. One approach to such containers is disclosed in US. Patent No. 2,341,600 of Daniel, wherein a rectangular box-shaped member is provided having a hinged cover flap. The bottom wall of the box resembles the back cover of a book and has an extended portion which folds over the rectangular box to resemble a book binder and front cover.

A somewhat different approach to a book-like container is disclosed in US. Patent No. 3,232,421 of Young, wherein a pair of hinged cover leaves are provided having opposed recesses into which a tape reel may be inserted. The hinged leaves are biased to a closed position to entrap the reel within and between the opposed recesses.

A still different approach is presented in US. Patent No. 2,873,025 of Rollie, which discloses a foldable cover portion having mounting posts extending therefrom. Rolls of tape to be stored in the container are located by positioning central openings in the rolls over the mounting posts.

The prior-art approaches to a book-like film container have not been entirely satisfactory. For example, in a rectangular box, such as that of Daniel, the film will bounce between the interior surfaces of the box whenever the box is moved. Moreover, the large interior cavity will accumulate dust and other foreign matter which may scratch the film when it is projected; and the film end must somehow be attached to the film roll to prevent clockspringing of the roll.

The approach of Young, on the other hand, is not entirely satisfactory when applied to a container for a plurality of reels. If it were desired to place several reels in a single container, it would be difficult to align each reel in the corresponding opposed recesses each time the container is closed. Furthermore, the Young container has no side panels to keep dust from the reel, and will prevent clockspringing of the film only when the end thereof is carefully positioned in the container.

A mounting post as disclosed by Rollie suffers from disadvantages similar to those mentioned above. Additionally, it would be difficult to mount a coreless film roll on a mounting post because of the lack of rigidity of the central opening in the roll.

All of the references noted above are either of wood construction, which is heavy and dlfiicult to manufacture, or entirely of cardboard construction, which requires a multiple complex folding operation and will not withstand continued abuse.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an improved book-style container for conveniently storing rolls or reels of web material such as processed motion picture film.

In the disclosed embodiment of the invention, a bookstyle container comprises a foldable cover and support member formed from a single sheet of low-cost material, such as cardboard, which may have imprinted on the outer surfaces thereof an attractive library decor. Parts formed, for example, by molding from sheets of plastic material are attached to sections of the cover are provided with circular recesses for storing film rolls or reels in such a manner as to protect and prevent clockspringing of film thereon. The cover member is adapted to be folded to a book configuration, in much the same manner as a book, to enclose the formed parts and the reels. In the open position of the cover, the reels or rolls contained therein are readily accessible. Moreover, inside surfaces of the cover member may have printed thereon an indexing system comprising indicia positioned, relative to the storage recesses, in a manner to readily identify the film normally contained in each recess.

The invention, and its objects and advantages, will become more apparent in the detailed description of the preferred embodiment presented below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention presented below, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a book-style container, showing the container in an open position to present reels positioned therein, and also showing an indexing system on the cover flaps thereof;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the book-style container of FIG. 1, showing the container with its cover flaps in a partially closed position;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the book-style container of FIG. 1, showing the container in its closed position;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 1, showing a reel positioned in the container.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of the bookstyle container of FIG. 1, showing a tape fastening means for retaining the container in its closed position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings, the preferred embodiment of a book-style container according to the present invention is disclosed comprising an elongated foldable member 10 defining a cover portion 11 and storage means or body portions 12 and 14. Each body portion 12 and 14 may be "formed, for example by vacuum molding, from an imperforate sheet of plastic stock into a rectangular-shaped block having top surfaces 16, bottom surfaces 18 (FIG. 4), and sides 20 and 22. Formed in each body portion 12 and 14 are a plurality of film storage chambers (in this case 6) which may take the form of circular, peripherally-walled compartments or recesses 24 of a depth approximately equal to the axial width of the reels 26 to be contained therein. Each recess 24 has a thumb slide or cleft 27 permitting ready access to an edge of the contained reels for removal thereof. Cleft 27 also provides a convenient recessed location for positioning the end 28 of a rubber band or other film retaining means. However, it should be apparent that such a film retaining means is normally unnecessary because each circular recess 24 wholly surrounds the reel periphery in close proximity thereto and thereby prevents clockspringing of film contained in the recess. Furthermore, when the film is on a reel having flanges 29, the wall of the circular recess and the reel flanges will cooperate to substantially enclose the film and prevent dust or other foreign matter from entering the recess and later damaging the film when it is projected.

The cover portion 11, which may be composed of paperboard or other appropriate material, is provided with inner surfaces 30 and outer surfaces 32. The cover portion 11 is foldable at crease lines a, b, c, d, e, and f to define front and back sections or panels 42 and 44, respectively, a hinge or binder section or panel 46, and flaps 48 and 50. Body portions 12 and 14 may be secured by a suitable adhesive 13 to inner surfaces 30 of the front and back panels 42 and 44 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, so that all of the reels will at once be presented for random selection when the container is in an open position.

In order to close the container, flaps 48 and 50 are folded over top surfaces 16 of body portions 12 and 14 (as shown in FIG. 2), and front and back panels 42 and 44 are folded along crease lines and d (as shown in FIG. 3). To retain the container in its closed position, retaining means comprising tape fasteners 52 and 54 may be provided on body portions 12 and 14, respectively to pass through openings 56 and 58 in flaps 48 and 50, respectively. One part of the tape fasteners, 52, comprises a myraid of finely woven nylon monofilaments formed into permanent hooks, while the other part, 54, comprises soft nylon loops. Such fastener parts per se are well known in the art, and further description of the specific hook and loop structures thereof is deemed unnecessary. When parts 52 and 54 are brought into contact and pressed together, the frictional intermeshing of the hooks and loops will retain the container in its closed position until sufficient opening force is applied to pull the tape fasteners apart. It should now be apparent that in its closed position the container will provide a compact binder which may be conveniently aligned in stacked or side-by-side relationship with other such containers in a drawer or bookcase. Further, each reel in the container will be amply protected from impact or foreign matter in all directions.

The outer cover and binder panels may be provided with an appropriate library decor, including labeling means 60 and 62, for titles or other identifying markings. In addition, inner surfaces 30 of flaps 48 and 50 may be provided with indicia, such as printing or labels positioned relative to the recesses in the body portion such that each indicum clearly identifies a reel normally to be contained in a particular recess.

Referring now to the method of making such a container, the cover portion 11 may be cut to an elongated rectangular shape in a simple straight-lined cutting operation made possible by the straight-edged rectangular shape of the cover portion. Each of the body parts 12 and 14, on the other hand, may be formed from a single imporfate sheet of moldable material using known molding techniques, and may be attached to the cover portion by an adhesive 13 on the bottom surface of each circular recess.

Though the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described for use primarily in contain ing processed motion picture film wound on reels, it will be apparent that the invention could also be used to support reelless rolls of motion picture film or other web material such as magnetic tape.

The inventionhas been described in detail with particular reference to the preferred embodiment thereof, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention.

We claim: 1. A container for a plurality of means for holding a strip of web material, said container comprising:

an elongated member defining two cover sections and a hinge section connecting said cover sections,

said cover sections being movable from an open position to a closed position wherein said cover sections lie in substantially parallel relationship,

each of said cover sections having means defining a plurality of spaced recesses, each of said recesses being adapted to receive and closely surround one of the means for holding a strip of web material.

2. A container according to claim 1, wherein said container is composed, at least in part, of a moldable material.

3. A container according to claim 1, further including an elongated extension on each of said cover sections defining a flap, each flap having an open position and being foldable to a closed position over the spaced recesses of the adjacent one of said cover sections, wherein said flaps lie in parallel relationship with each other and in parallel relationship with said cover sections when said cover sections are in said closed position of said cover sections.

4. A container according to claim 3, wherein a plurality of identification means are on said flaps in corresponding relationship to said spaced recesses such that each identification means serves to identify the means for holding a strip of web material normally to be contained in one of said recesses.

5. A storage container for a plurality of rolls of web material comprising:

first and second rigid body portions formed from imperforate sheet material and having top and bottom surfaces;

a plurality of recesses in each of said body portions,

each recess having a fiat bottom surface and a cir- 60 cular side wall, each recess being open at the top for positioning a roll of web material thereinto; and

a cover portion attached to the bottom surfaces of said body portions and having first and second sections foldable over the top surface of said first and sec- 6 0nd body portions, respectively, to cover said recesses.

6. A book-like container for storing reels of web material comprising:

first and second storage members, said storage members having circular, peripherally walled recesses therein for receiving the reels of web material, each of said recesses having a depth approximately equal to the axial width of one of the reels of web material;

cover means comprising front and back panels and a binder panel connecting said front and back panels, said front and back panels having first and second flaps joined thereto respectively, said front and back panels being secured to said first and second storage sections and a hinge section connecting said cover sections, said cover sections being movable from an open position to a closed position wherein said cover sections lie in substantially parallel relationship;

an elongated extension on each of said first and second members, respectively, said first and second flaps be- 5 cover sections respectively defining first and second ing foldable over said first and second storage memflaps, each of said flaps having an open position and hers, respectively, to cover said recesses, said front being foldable to a closed position wherein each of and back panels being foldable relative to said bindsaid flaps lies in parallel relationship with the adjaer panel to enclose said storage members and said 10 cent one of said cover sections, said flaps having openings therein:

first and second supporting members on said first and second cover sections respectively, each supporting member defining a plurality of spaced recesses, each recess being adapted to receive one of the rolls of web material; and

fastening means comprising a first part on said first 7. A storage carton for web reels comprising:

a storage member having a plurality of open compartments disposed therein for receiving the web reels;

a cover member secured to said storage member and foldable over said storage member to cover said compartments;

indicia on said cover member corresponding to said compartments and disposed on said cover member in the same relative positions as are said compartments in said storage member, whereby the reel normally to be received in one of said compartments is identified by the corresponding one of said indicia.

8. A book-like container for storing a plurality of reels containing motion picture films comprising:

a unitary cover member having an inner surface and an outer surface, said cover member comprising a front cover section and a back cover section foldably joined by a binder section, said cover member also comprising first and second flap sections foldably joined, respectively, to the front cover section and the back cover section;

reel storage means secured to the inner surface of said cover member on said front and back cover sections, said reel storage means defining recesses for receiving film reels for storage, whereby said flap sections can be folded to cover said recesses, and said front and back cover sections can be folded to enclose said creasing Said Cover member to define first and Second storage means. flaps extending from said front and back cover sec 9. A book-like container, as defined in claim 8, wheretions respectively;

in: forming first and second storage members, each having a plurality of identification labels are positioned on said a plurality of circular recesses therein, from moldflap sections, each of said identification labels correable material; and sponding to a recess in said storage means to identify Securing Said first and Second Storage members to Said a film reel normally to be received in said recess. front and back cover Sections, respectively, to form 10. A container for a plurality of reels of web material the book-like container.

comprising:

at least one storage member, said storage member hav ing a plurality of circular, peripherally walled recesses therein for receiving the reels of web material, 0

supporting member, said first and second parts being aligned with said openings when said flaps are in their closed positions whereby said parts contact said cover sections in their closed position. 13. A container for rolls of web material, as set forth in claim 12, wherein:

said first part of said fastening means comprises finely woven nylon monofilaments formed into permanent hooks; and said second part of said fastening means comprises soft nylon loops. 14. The method of making a book-like container for rolls of web material comprising the steps of:

cutting sheet material to form a straight-edged, rectan' gular-shaped cover member; creasing said cover member to define front and back over sections joined by a connecting section;

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS each of said recesses having a depth approximately 5 "5 3? equal to the axial width of one of the reels of web 3112966 12/1963 g T me iii ib i' c ring said storage member to retain the gg E g reels of web material in said recesses. 8 4//1967 i g 11. A container for reels of web material, as set forth in claim 10, wherein said storage member comprises a moldable material and said covering means comprises paperboard.

12. A container for rolls of web material comprising: 206-52; 31210 an elongated member. defining first and second cover CASMIR A. NUNBERG, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

supporting member and a second part on said second each other through said openings when said cover sections are in their closed position to thereby retain Disclaimer 3,487,919.0arm0n M. Elliott, Rochester, and Richard A. Gowfm, Victor, NY. BOOK-STYLE CONTAINER F OR FILM OR TAPE REELS AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME. Patent dated Jan. 6, 1969. Disclaimer filed Apr. 6, 1970, by the assignee, Eastman Kodak Company. Hereby enters this disclaimer to claims 7, 10 and 11 of said patent.

[Ofiioial Gazette November 10, 1.970.] 

